I first met Isabelle Mercier at EPT Dublin, Season 2. This was 2005 and my first experience of big money tournaments, and PokerStars blogs. I was in awe of this Team PokerStars lady, even though she'd always be helpful when I counted her chips for the blog updates. She'd usually tell me her chip count with a friendly smile, but if she ever had less chips than she liked there'd be no time for smiles, her gaze would instantly return to her table, focused on chips in the other player's stacks as she contemplated how to take them.

I remember I made a bad joke on the blog about her being in 'good shape'. And it's easy to admire this undoubtedly 'shapely' Team PokerStars player as just a glamorous addition to a poker team made up of heavyweights like WSOP champions Raymer and Moneymaker. I'll avoid that obvious joke on the 'heavyweight' theme...



You'd be making a mistake if you considered Isabelle to be 'just a pretty face' in any field. She studied law in Canada, before moving to Paris and working her way to the top at the Aviation Club de France, becoming the club's Poker Room Manager. The other side of the tables beckoned, and soon Isabelle was earning her living as a successful poker pro.

Isabelle Mercier has taken over $250,000 in tournaments winnings. She won the World Poker Tour's "Ladies Night Out" poker tournament, where she earned her 'No Mercy' nickname from World Poker Tour host, Mike Sexton. She is 9th in the rankings for all time tournament winnings for lady poker players. She has many live game wins and final table experiences to her name, you can read her full tournament results on her blog. And if you ever want to see Isabelle in in action at PokerStars tables you can find her playing on PokerStars as 'NoMercy'.

I've overcome my awe of this Team PokerStars star these days, and approached her to see if she'd share and tips and advice with PokerStars.net players. She obliged - with a pretty smile of course.

Jo: Thanks for taking the time to talk to PokerStars.net blog. Obviously your tournament experience is a bit different from play money Sit and Gos! But do you think these can be valuable experience, and did you ever used to play fun money games or freerolls?

Isabelle: Oh yes! I played many freerolls when I started poker in order to get practice and win some seats in bigger events. The good thing about it is that my investment was zero, and my return was the experience I got and some wins into cash events. I like freerolls with something to win because the players tend to play much more seriously than in play fun money, and that’s where I find my challenge.

Jo: Did you have any luck in these games? How different are these from the big money games you usually play?

Isabelle: They are two completely different games and environments. I am challenged by the big games and their players, so of course it brings out the best in me. But the freerolls are a lot of fun and much more relaxing to play.



Jo: What skills should fun money players hope to develop from PokerStars free games?

Isabelle: Tons of skills! I always say you can read as many books as you want, watch as many poker shows as you can, and talk as much as possible with players you respect, but in the end, the only way you really get to learn is to play, play and play. So that’s what you can acquire on PokerStars.net, the chance to practice the game and develop a feel for it, for free! Before I turned pro, I played full time on PokerStars for one entire year. So when I came into live games as a pro, I already seen more hands on internet than a lot of my opponents have been dealt in the last three years! I think online poker is the fastest way to learn the basics of the game.

Jo: Is there any encouragement you'd like to give, or advice you can offer, talking as someone at the top to someone very new to poker?

Isabelle: I would say to a new player to try the following experience: Sit down on a free money tournament table and then, for the entire duration of this tournament, allow yourself only two options: raise or fold. Pretend calling is not an option in poker and live without it for this entire tournament. I promise you will be surprise by the results and by the power of aggression. Most of the people I encouraged to try this exercise actually won the tournament they were playing! Now, be careful, I am not saying that calling is not important in poker, on the opposite, it is a very powerful weapon you will use in play, but I think people tend to call too much and this exercise make them see another side of the game. Play money or freerolls tournaments are the perfect place to try this!

Jo: Finally, PokerStars.net is a fun money site, the emphasis on fun and not profit. So is poker still fun in the big money games you play?

Isabelle: I think poker is fun all the way, with my friends in my kitchen, online on free money tables, in tournaments around the world and in big cash games tables. The game in itself is fun, and yes it’s still fun at high levels, it’s just more challenging.

Jo: Thanks Isabelle, and good luck!